Utah Travel Headlines

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

View Wild Elk at Hardware Ranch

Utah's annual Elk Festival will be held Oct 10 at Hardware Ranch, in northern Utah.

Every year hundreds of elk winter at the ranch, where feed is provided so they will stay in the mountains and not invade farmers' fields. Elk start to show up at the ranch about this time, as the first snowstorms blanket the mountains.

As of Oct 1, few elk were at the ranch, but officials hope there will be good numbers by the time of the festival. But elk or no elk, the festival will be held and will provide plenty of opportunity for participants to learn about wildlife.

Beginning Dec. 18, the ranch's visitor center will open and sleigh or wagon rides will be offered. By then there will be a large number of elk at the ranch. Horse drawn sleighs or wagons take visitors out near the elk for viewing and photography. The horses do not startle the elk and so the sleighs can get quite close. There are usually several big bulls in the herd.

Hardware Ranch is located up Blacksmith Fork Canyon, east of the town of Hyrum (near Logan). The canyon is ablaze with color now - it is one of the great spots in Utah to view fall foliage.